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CENTENNIAL, Colo. (CBS4) – The former bookkeeper of the Arapahoe Youth Sports League pleaded guilty Friday to stealing tens of thousands of dollars in funds and was sentenced to probation and a deferred sentence.

Pamela Schlehuber was charged in 2013 with pilfering the youth league funds over the course of nine years. She initially told CBS4 “I didn’t take any money. When I turned the books back over, there was no money missing.” But the Arapahoe County District Attorney tells CBS4 that at a court hearing Friday, Schlehuber pleaded guilty to theft of more than $20,000 — a felony — and to a misdemeanor count.

“The defendant was sentenced to two years deferred sentence on the felony count; two years of probation on the misdemeanor; 100 hours of community service; and ordered to immediately pay $62,875.10 to fully compensate victim for restitution plus interest and the victim’s cost of investigation,” said Michelle Yi, a spokesperson for the DA’s office.

“That’s good news for the AYL,” said Craig Randall, the group’s president. “We are happy to bring this to closure. The DA did an outstanding job on this case.”

While Schlehuber initially denied any wrongdoing in the case, in a law enforcement affidavit on the case an investigator wrote Schlehuber admitted taking money from AYL accounts “because she had bills that she could not pay.

The investigator wrote that Schlehuber admitted “she paid some of her children’s college tuition” with the stolen money.

“She initially started by paying off her credit cards … but she simply wasn’t making enough money to support their lifestyle,” Schlehuber told the investigator.

“Pam advised that it was easy to do because nobody was watching,” said an affidavit in the case.